


Of Escape Attempts and Cuddles

by ChocolatesLovechild



Series: Until Summer Starts [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: BAMF Alfred, Fluff and Angst, let jason be happy 2k18, sad jason todd, the batfam loves jason
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-23 01:25:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14321496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocolatesLovechild/pseuds/ChocolatesLovechild
Summary: That left one possibility. The bats. The bats had found him passed out on his floor with a fever and a sloppily stitched knife wound.Shit. They were gonna force him to talk feelings. At best Jason would suffer through the disappointment. Not just disappointment, Jason would have to endure a lecture. Jason had a special place of loathing in his heart for lectures. Every single one flipped his mindset like a coin. ‘Badass Red hood’ turned to ‘Bruce’s biggest mistake, the black sheep, the soldier, the failure’.





	Of Escape Attempts and Cuddles

The first thing that occurred to Jason was the warmth. Normally Jason woke to thin covers draped loosely across his waist. He’d wake up shivering from Gotham weather in an unheated safehouse located in Crime Alley. Yet, at the moment, thick wool blankets piled over him.

The second thing that occurred to Jason was the absence of sweat. At Least three times a week Jason bolted out of his bed dripping with the stuff. And it wasn't the good kind of sweat he got after a workout. The sweat that plagued Jason's nights glued covers to his skin. That kind of sweat reminded Jason of blood, resignation, and death. Jason thought it morbidly fitting considering that it happened after those nightmares.

The third thing that jarred Jason was his general state of healthiness. Jason's lips, for the first time in forever, didn't feel dry. Jason’s wounds felt neatly dressed, his stomach felt full, and not a single nightmare haunted him.

What the fuck. Jason went through a mental list of possibilities. Is he kidnapped, definitely not. Is he dreaming, fat chance. Is he fifteen and home, his death and resurrection a product of fear gas? That's dangerous and unlikely thinking.

That left one possibility. The bats. The bats had found him passed out on his floor with a fever and a sloppily stitched knife wound.

Shit. They were gonna force him to talk feelings. At best Jason would suffer through the disappointment. Not just disappointment, Jason would have to endure a lecture. Jason had a special place of loathing in his heart for lectures. Every single one flipped his mindset like a coin. ‘Badass Red hood’ turned to ‘Bruce’s biggest mistake, the black sheep, the soldier, the failure’.

Despite that, the feelings part had Jason shuddering. Half the criminal underwood couldn't do that. If Jason talked feelings, he would crumble. Suppressed emotions would tumble out in fragmented sentences and body shaking tears. Fuck vulnerability.

Jason opened his eyes to an empty guest room. A tray with eggs, tea, and bacon sat on a bed table to his right. Thank god for Alfie. Jason gulped down the tea. Jason was going to escape. He still knew his way around Wayne Manor. Jason walked out the guest room door and into the hallway. In three lefts he’d be in the library. Little Jason could sneak out of that library window with his eyes closed and hands tied behind his back.

Jason's luck finally seemed to be turning up, but the universe seemed hell-bent on punishing him. Jason should have fed that cat in second grade. Tim Drake walked down the hallway, his phone in hand. Tim stopped when he saw Jason. Silence ensued. Then Tim leveled him with a withering stare. “Your not leaving, not after the state we found you in.” Jason growled.

“ I wasn't dying Timmy, takes more than a fever to get rid of me.” Tims gaze remained unwavering. “ Screw off, replacement.” Tim took a step forward.

“ You went out into the field, repeatedly, with a high fever, you got sloppy enough to get stabbed, and passed out in an unheated safe house in Crime Alley. Tim's voice came out in a dangerous type of quiet. “Consider your forced recovery time a punishment.”

Jason growled, shouldering past Tim who stood in his way. “You're not my mother!” Jason swallowed down his anger and resolutely stomped away. As soon as Jason disappeared from the passage, Tim’s shoulders sagged. The third Robin dialed a number on his phone.

“ Dick, Jason's up and trying to leave.”

Meanwhile, Jason found himself in a room filled to the brim with first edition books. The library in Wayne Manor held bittersweetness in every corner for Jason. He had spent countless nights cradling the spines of books whilst consuming words in this room. Bruce and Jason used to bond over literature. The library rung a nostalgic chord in Jason.

“Brother.” Cassandra silently loomed next to the bookshelves on Jason's right. Jason tensed, startled. “Give a sucker a warning next time, Cass. Cassandra strode towards Jason, resting a hand on his shoulder. “ We're worried.” Jason shrugged off Cassandra's hand. “Yeah, well, Im fine. I'm a big boy Cass, I can take care of myself.”

“ You must rest.”

“ I can rest at my place.”

Cassandra moved in front of Jason, a hand on his chest, a warning in her eyes. Jason snarled, “ Right, thanks.” Jason stormed out Cassandra bowed her head, a minute passed. She strode towards the shelves, grabbed her .phone, and messaged the ‘Watch Jason’ family group chat. ‘He left the library.’

In the hallway, Jason went over his mental list of escape routes. To Jason annoyance, the best route was through the window in Dicks room. Although that would be risky, its the best option Jason could think of. Jason walked through a hallway and up a flight of stairs, two doors down and he arrived in front of Dicks room.

“What do you think you're doing, Todd!” Jason groaned, his head tilted up in a silent prayer. Damian Wayne, in his demon-y, glory glowered at Jason. “Not you too, Demon brat. I'm fine, A-okay, perfectly functional, fucking peachy. I'm not twelve or some shit, I can take care of myself. I'm going home.” Damien spat out a retort. “ Act your age Todd. You're a deplorable excuse for a human being. How could someone trained by father get stabbed by a minor goon!”

It was a rhetorical question that had Jason wincing with the truth of it.

Despite that, it's probably because Bruce trained Jason that he got stabbed. Only a bat child fought crime with a high fever for an extended period of time. But Jason would never admit to being like Bruce. “ Stick your nose in someone's else's business, demon brat.” Jason spun on his heel and made his way to Dicks room. Damien wordlessly snarled, spite and worry fueling his next course of action. Damien proceeded to text the group chat, ‘Todd is in Grayson's room.’

Jason, who was in Dicks room, grinned in victory. The vigilante was halfway out the window when a certain cheerful dick interrupted. “Little Wing, you shouldn't be up.” Jason swore, retreating from the window. “ Why are you all so fucking annoying?” Dick frowned. Jason wanted to slap him.

“Jay..”

The disappointment in Dicks' voice was fucking palpable. Jason wanted to shoot him. What gave him the fucking right? No one was there to make Jason rest when he actually had needed it, definitely not his family. And they all had the nerve to play pretend because of some moral dilemma, to act like they cared for Jason.

“ Got put your screwed up moral obligations up your ass, Goldie.”

“ This isn't because of morals, Jaybird-”

“ Fuck off, Dick”

Dick looked resigned. Maybe he'd let Jason leave like a decent human being.

“You're not leaving through this window, Little Wing. Dicks' shoulders became squared. Welp, there goes any semblance of hope Jason had. “You Suck.” Jason maturely made his way out of the room. He was going through the goddamn door.

A flight of steps later and Stephanie catapulted onto Jason's back out of nowhere. This family, holy shit. If Jason had not stifled his reflexes Stephanie would be tasting expensive wallpaper. “Steph, I swear to Wonder Woman, what the actual fuck.” He got his answer with a laugh. “If your well enough to be emotionally constipated, your well enough for piggyback rides.”

Jason grumbled to himself all throughout the piggyback ride to the living room. Jason then plopped Stephanie on the nearest couch, ignoring her affronted pot. Jason proceeded his long trek to freedom. “You're buying me waffles later!”

Jason made a noise of affirmation over his shoulder before leaving the room. Jason was a couple steps from the door when someone made a noise of disapproval. Jason recognized that noise. Fuck, he was never leaving. Jason's shoulders slumped in his misery. “ Master Jason, you will be stepping away from that door at once.”

“ But Alfie-”

“ Master Jason you were in a horrendous state when you were brought home and I must say that I am very disappointed.”

Something in Jason's chest tightened and crumbled simultaneously. Alfred made his way towards Jason, chastising him as he did. “ I expected better of you. You know how to cook, and I bloody know you're capable of sleeping, yet you insist on doing either. Forgive me if I'm reluctant to see your departure in merely three days since your father found you.

Jason was about to have a crisis because jesus christ Bruce found him, when Alfred pulled him into a firm hug. Jason wrapped his arms around Alfred, face buried into his shoulder, tears leaking from his eyes. “I'm sorry Alfie..” Jason's voice came out muffled. Alfred sighed.

“ I will forgive you, Master Jason, on the condition that you join your siblings for movie night.” Jason relented. Later he found himself cuddling with his siblings whilst watching Project Runway. Jason closed his eyes and let himself be happy.

...

Bruce Wayne came home with his wife, Selina Kyle. He possessed a tiredness that only occurred when he wore a mask for too long. Selena wanted a bath and a fuck, because priorities. As the pair stepped into the living room, they took in a heartwarming but surprising scene. All their children were snugly cuddled up on the couches, each sleeping. Alfred finished draping a blanket over the last batkids shoulders.

The lost boy and the lonely girl were finally home. Bruce took Selena's hand and cried.

**Author's Note:**

> Welp. I tried. I hope you liked reading this. I don't know if its good or not. Feedback and constructive criticism are welcomed with open arms.


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